


The National Anthem

by Not Applicable (not_applicable)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: College, M/M, MIT Era, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2014-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-27 12:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2692211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_applicable/pseuds/Not%20Applicable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's only one reason that Tony Stark would <i>ever</i> attend a college football game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The National Anthem

Tony was at a football game. He never went to football games. The stadium lights were so bright that his sunglasses weren’t really helping with it at all, and he was sure he looked like a douchebag for wearing them at night. Wasn’t this supposed to get started by now? People were staring at him. Everyone knew who he was, not to mention that he was sitting in his family’s box on the first row, right at the fifty yard line. Even the people in the other boxes were looking at him, pointing and taking pictures of him without asking.

 _Come on_ , Tony thought. _Hurry up with the Pledge of Alliance._

And then he sighed when he heard the crowd go quiet without the prompting of the announcer or anything – it’s just what MIT audiences did when the ROTC Color Guard appeared with all of their flags in tow. The crowd was completely silent as they marched out onto the field. Rhodey was at the center of the formation and carrying the American flag, looking clean as all get-out in spotless dress blues, a brand new set that Tony had gotten Rhodey for his birthday.

“Please rise for the national anthem,” the announcer said over the stadium loudspeaker, and Tony just looked at Rhodey as he tipped the flag forward with a sharp, precise movement, his face expressionless and stern as the rest of the crowd rose. People were looking at Tony again but he realized it was because he was the only person still seated, and he stood quickly, yanking off his sunglasses and slapping a hand over his heart. And that’s when Rhodey saw him, when he was stumbling to stand up and look presentable and respectable before the American flag. Only Rhodey’s eyes moved to him, but that was enough. Tony saw Rhodey grin as a drum roll pierced the air and the band started playing – just the tiniest little quirk of his lips, a grin that was only for him.

 

* * *

 

 

Tony was waiting at the stadium entrance when Rhodey walked up, his jacket over his shoulder and his hat under his arm. The coin toss had just commenced and MIT had the field. They smiled at each other but Rhodey did so with a shake of his head, and Tony fell into step with him as they walked toward the parking lot and away from the game.

“You don’t wanna stick around?” Rhodey asked. “We’re playing CalTech.”

Tony just shrugged. “We can stay if you want,” he said. “I only came to see you.”

Rhodey breathed a laugh and Tony wished that they were alone so he could reach out and touch Rhodey’s face, feel the warmth that was undoubtedly crawling into his cheeks. He wanted to tell Rhodey that he was proud of him and that sometimes he couldn’t believe that they were together, that Rhodey was his. He wanted to kiss his lips amongst the roar of the crowd and the lights that lit up the night all around them.

“I really could kiss you right now,” Rhodey said as they reached the car.

 

* * *

 

 

Back at Tony’s penthouse apartment, he was on his stomach with Rhodey on top of him, their fingers threaded together and Rhodey kissing his back, his neck, his ears and his cheeks.

“I’m so proud of you,” Tony whispered, and then he inhaled deeply through his nose, smelled Rhodey’s skin and his sweat, a scent that made Tony dizzy sometimes.

“Yeah?” Rhodey said back, his voice quiet as they moved together.

“Yeah,” Tony said. “Sometimes I can’t believe that you’re mine.”

Rhodey chuckled at that but Tony wrenched his chin around so he could face Rhodey, and they kissed long and slow over the gentle din of the football game nearby, the sound carrying for miles across Cambridge and filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Tony’s place, of _their_ place.


End file.
